Take a moment and STOP breathing, hold your breath … 1… 2…3… 4… 5… now inhale so deeply!!! Feel how your body craved that inhale, that beautiful, fulfilling inhale!!
We don’t think about it often because breathing occurs so naturally but without this beautiful gift of breath our physical body would not be able to carry on!! This is an extremely powerful force we all have right under our noses…SO IMAGINE IF we all used our breath to its full potential, I mean if this stuff keeps us alive there has got to be more to it then just weak inhales and exhales with no awareness of what is happening within the body!! So try it now, take a DEEP inhale and exhale, draw your awareness inward and follow the breath throughout the entire body!! Ok one more time now but this time like you mean it, like you truly appreciate this breath stuff because it gives you life!!! Don’t you feel just that much better, just that much more alive!! What a beautiful thing!! I challenge you to keep breathing deeply every chance you get, and the great thing is you have A LOT of chances, every single moment to be exact!!!
Without breath there would be no life….there would be no yoga (can you imagine no yogaaaaahhh? no thanks)!! For me yoga instantly showed me how valuable and powerful breath is, it can truly get you through anything no matter what the challenge is!! In yoga, breath draws your attention to the areas within ourselves that are calling for opening, it calms the mind with the wonderful flow of energy in, around, and out through our entire body!! Not only does your breath keep your heart beating and your face smiling but it allows for new incredible movement, opening, and awareness of our very own temples, the body!!!
Our breath is really one of the only things in this life time that will always be consistent and will always be there for us no matter where we turn!!! Let breath be your guide through the body, through your experiences, whether filled with happiness or sorrow, breath will lead you through!! Breath will be your most trustworthy and loyal friend if you allow it to be, if you give it the awareness and appreciation it sincerely deserves!! Give thanks to your breath every moment by appreciating the gift with every single inhale and exhale you take!!! Life is a gift, if you do not value your gift, nobody else will!! Another wise beyond words quote from my yogi tea bag that I thought I would leave you with!! I want to give a quick thanks to the Golden retreat and Rameen for being so undeniably inspiring and beautiful!!
Much peace and love!!
Contributed by Angela McFaul, SATTVA School of Yoga 2011 graduate
